New PhRMA chief says healthcare system is ‘broken’

09-Apr-2009 - The new chairman of US trade body the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) – AstraZeneca CEO David Brennan – has laid out his vision for reforming the “broken” healthcare system.

Time of rapid change in fine chemicals supply, says SAFC

07-Apr-2009 - Tom Beil, SAFC’s VP of Quality and Regulatory affairs, whose talk on fine chemicals supply was a highlight of last month's DCAT week, spoke with in-PharmaTechnologist about the benefits and risks of working with global suppliers.

PTI unveils Toyo's "stick pack" system at Interphex

07-Apr-2009 - PTI Packaging Systems chose this year's Interphex show to introduce its new unit dose, or "stick pack," production machine to the North American packaging sector.

Asia-Pacific manufacturing growth attracts Werum

07-Apr-2009 - Werum Software & Systems has set up offices in Japan and Singapore, which will strengthen its position in Asia-Pacific and help it meet the region’s growing demand for tools to improve manufacturing quality.

Interactive map of global counterfeiting events in Q1

06-Apr-2009 - The counterfeiting threat is explored in our interactive map, which details the legislation, seizures, technological advances and much more that occurred in Q1 2009 to give a unique oversight of the global problem.

Pfizer settles Nigerian Trovan trial case out of court

06-Apr-2009 - Pfizer will pay an out of court settlement to resolve a long-running case alleging that it carried out an illegal trial of its meningitis drug Trovan (trovafloxacin) in Nigeria that resulted in the death of 11 children.

Cardinal cutting 1,300 jobs ahead of CareFusion spin-off

02-Apr-2009 - Falling sales to hospitals are forcing Cardinal Health to cut 1,300 jobs from the clinical and medical products units that it plans to float under the CareFusion banner later this year.

Bayer’s engineering affiliate opens up in India

01-Apr-2009 - Bayer Technology Services GmbH, an affiliate of Germany's Bayer, has opened its first regional office in India, enlarging its presence in the fast-growing Asian markets.

Global Federation will “speak as one”, says IPEC Europe chair

26-Mar-2009 - The International Pharmaceutical Excipient Council (IPEC) has unveiled plans to set up a worldwide Federation later this year to address the increasingly global excipient supply chain.

News in brief

Novartis bids for greater share of Indian subsidiary

26-Mar-2009 - Novartis is looking to buy an additional 39 per cent of its majority-owned subsidiary Novartis India for around 4.4bn rupees ($87m), or 351 rupees per share.

News in brief

Merck ramps up biologics spending in Ireland

25-Mar-2009 - Merck & Co is investing an additional €20m ($27m) in its biologics plant in Carlow, Ireland just weeks after it unveiled plans to create a “powerful biologics presence” through its $41bn move for fellow US drug giant Schering-Plough.

Pharma mega mergers a boon for Patheon's restructuring service, says CEO

25-Mar-2009 - The global economic downturn, impending blockbuster patent expiries and the wave of consolidation sweeping the pharmaceutical industry will drive demand for Patheon’s restructuring service according to CEO Wesley Wheeler.

Vetter launches VPI subsidiary

24-Mar-2009 - Vetter Pharma-Fertigung (VPF), a specialist provider of pre-filled injection systems, has formed a new subsidiary, Vetter Pharma International (VPI) to take charge of sales, marketing and customer services.

News in brief

UK and Australia clear Ranbaxy’s Paonta Sahib plant

24-Mar-2009 - Regulators in the UK and Australia have issued GMP certificates for Ranbaxy Laboratories' Paonta Sahib plant after a joint inspection deemed manufacturing practices were up to code.

Packaging feeling effects of downturn, says Alcan pharmaceutical packaging president

23-Mar-2009 - Michael Schmitt, president of Alcan Global Pharmaceutical Packaging, believes a recovery in the global economy, the increasing demand for quality and the emergence of markets like India and Brazil will be key drivers for the packaging sector over the next few years.

SCS welcomes StemCells deal in light of US rule change

18-Mar-2009 - Alastair Riddell, CEO of UK firm Stem Cell Sciences (SCS), says the US governments’ reversal of the ban on federally funded stem cell research “opens up a market that was inhibited, restrained and impeded under the Bush administration.”

Actavis moves towards Japanese generics market

17-Mar-2009 - Actavis’ JV with Japan’s Aska Pharmaceuticals opens up the non-branded sector of the world’s second largest drug market

IPECs may emerge in Latin America, India

16-Mar-2009 - The International Pharmaceutical Excipients Council (IPEC) – currently represented by divisions in Europe, the Americas, Japan and China – could see sister organisations open up in Latin America and India in the coming months.

Falling biopharma sales hurt Pall’s Q2; but Asia shows promise

16-Mar-2009 - Pall CEO Eric Krasnoff says delayed drug industry capital expenditure and moves to conserve inventory in the current global gloom caused life science sales to fall 8 per cent for the second quarter.

Obama overturns stem cell research funding ban

11-Mar-2009 - The US green light for federally funded embryonic stem cell research is being hailed as a victory by the US drug industry, which predicts it will open the flood gates for novel medications and help revitalise the sector.

SkyePharma mulls 30% cuts at Lyon Geomatrix plant

09-Mar-2009 - UK drugmaker SkyePharma may reduce the workforce at its production plant in Lyon, France by a third after “long-running” underutilisation of its manufacturing capacity.

US approvals provide some respite for Ranbaxy

09-Mar-2009 - Two approvals in a week for drugs made at Ranbaxy’s New Jersey OHM Laboratories subsidiary have eased the generics firm’s North American regulatory woes and strengthened its position in the expanding US market.

Piramal won’t “dilute ownership,” or comment on Sanofi rumours

04-Mar-2009 - Indian generics firm Piramal Healthcare says it "has no intention to dilute current ownership levels," but has not commented on rumours that it is in talks with French firm Sanofi Aventis.

“Untrue data” from Ranbaxy plant news to Daiichi

02-Mar-2009 - Daiichi Sankyo, the Japanese drug firm that bought a controlling stake in India’s Ranbaxy last year, says it had no knowledge of FDA concerns that led to a block on ANDA reviews for drugs made at the latter’s Paonta Sahib facility.